Todd Ruger is a sentry, a very good one, some might say the best. He was eleven when he and Nick were bound as master and slave. Todd spent the years Nick lived in the slave village waiting for the day Nick could leave and they’d be together, bit by bit building a life for both of them. He took his role of master seriously. It was his responsibility to provide for Nick, protect him and along the way he learned to love him. Todd loved Nick deeply and completely. They were more than a pair of sentries. Todd and Nick were friends, lovers, mates.<br><br>Eighteen months ago, Nick left the small village where he’d spent his entire life being raised and trained as a slave. Blessed with a unique skill set, Nick became a sentry. He took his place beside his master, Todd Ruger, defending society against the many paranormal threats that abound. They became more than master and slave, they became mates. Nick had found a home with Todd and together they became a family. Eventually, Nick’s special abilities and skills attract the attention of the second most powerful man in New Colorado Protectorate’s government, Vice Chancellor Clarke. Or, maybe certain people knew of Nick all along and just now had cause to use him. He believes Nick might be the answer to explaining Chancellor Shaffer’s sudden, unusual behavior.<br><br>Forced to go undercover the Chancellor’s Estate, Todd and Nick discover an ancient and deadly creature preying on residents of the estate. The same creature that is radically effecting Chancellor Shaffer. A creature only Nick can see in its true form. It hunts using specialized skills and has Todd and Nick in its crosshairs. Even if they defeat the creature and survive, they still face the possibility of being torn from each other when their lives are thrown into chaos by the thing they’re hunting.

Together Bound

Nick pounced and flattened the kelbit facedown. Gripping the knife in both hands, he drove it down and into the creature’s neck. Nick jerked both hands up, pulled the knife out and repeated the action as the kelbit’s hands scrabbled at Nick’s knees. Saliva dripped from Nick’s mouth as he rammed the knife through the kelbit’s neck over and over, shouting with each powerful blow.


The kelbit screamed a few times, then went still. Nick didn’t quit. Arms pumping like pistons, he pummeled the thing’s neck with the knife blade, severing its spinal cord completely. The head—Todd’s” head—rolled away to one side.


“Nick,” Todd rasped out. He struggled to his feet, hand holding his throat, and stumbled to his mate. Todd dropped to his knees behind Nick, and wound one arm around Nick’s waist. “Nicky, stop.”


Nick wasn’t listening or probably even hearing Todd; he was simply reacting.


Chapter 57